Solar Eclipse to Arrive on Aug. 1

No, I'm not talking about the line of Mitsubishi cars - I'm talking about the rare phenomenon that occurs when the moon passes right in front of the sun. The last solar eclipse I saw (since I live in the United States) was when I was in fourth grade. Considering my age, that was a pretty long while ago.

But the August solar eclipse will be the first one for viewing in over two years. Unfortunately, residents and visitors in North America will be unable to view the upcoming solar eclipse.

According to Space.com, the solar eclipse will be visible "along a narrow track that will start over the Northwest Passage of Canada," as well as parts of Northern Greenland, Siberia and western Mongolia.

This will be Canada's first solar eclipse since February 26, 1979. The viewing of the eclipse will begin at Northern Canada's Queen Maud Gulf at sunrise.

The viewing of an eclipse's totality - when the moon completely obstructs the sun - is usually very brief. For example, in Alert, a remote and nearly deserted outpost in Canada, totality will last a mere 43 seconds. Later, totality will occur in Novosibirsk, Russia for approximately 2 minutes and 18 seconds.

Space.com also notes of an uncommon expedition that has been established in order to "rendezvous with the moon's shadow." Formulated by Glenn Schnieder of the University of Arizona's Steward Observatory and air charter company Deutsche Polarflug, the expedition features an Airbus A330-200 that will carry passengers on a flight that is specifically tailored for viewing the solar eclipse.

Fortunately, others who are not able to fly with the rest of the eclipse-chasing crew may be able to catch the phenomenon in the sky. According to SFGate.com, San Francisco scientists are planning to Webcast the solar eclipse in China. The Webcast will begin at 3:30 a.m. PDT on Friday with an introduction to facts about Earth's closest star. Then, when totality occurs at 4:09 a.m. PDT, the Webcast will discuss "features like the sun's flaring prominence and its brilliant corona."

In regards to Earth, there are two kinds of eclipses.

Solar eclipses occur when the moon comes between the sun and the Earth, with partial or complete obstruction. The other type - the lunar eclipse - occurs when the moon passes through the Earth's shadow, darkening the moon until it disappears.

Solar eclipses are considerably more rare than lunar eclipses. (I always brush off lunar eclipses because I've seen a bunch of them, and I'm still waiting until the U.S. had its own solar eclipse again.)

For a live Web cast of the 2008 solar eclipse, visit http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/. The next solar eclipse will occur on January 26, 2009, which will be visible in South Africa, Antarctica, Southeast Asia and Australia. Americans will not be able to see a solar eclipse within their state until May 20, 2012 - and that will only be visible in the Western U.S.

For the rest of the U.S.? You'll have to (sadly) wait until August 21, 2017.

And remember: for all eclipses, proper eye protection must be worn.

Sources:

http://www.space.com/spacewatch/080725-ns-solar-eclipse.html
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/26/BAD111VAVA.DTL
http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/eclipse.html